Strip-guiding and severing device for sewing machines



All@ 10, 1954 J. E. ACKERMAN ET AL STRIP-GUIDING AND SEVERING DEVICE-FOR SEWING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 50, 1950 nulli* Aug. 10, 1954 x. E. AcKl-:RMAN ETAL 2,685,854

` STRIP-GUIDING AND SEVERING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 50, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qnvntou :lames Ef Hckerman and a g e p el Stirn/muy mw Ulla/fles R. Odermann i Aug 10, 1954 J. E. ACKERMAN ETAL 2,685,854

STRIP-GUIDING AND SEVERING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. so, 195o s sheets-sheet s mmm:

51m/xunta James Efagckerman and Charles R. dermam@ 951,/

lkkozneq/ Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE STRIP-GUIDING AND SEVERING DEVICE vFOR SEWING MACHINES Application November 30, 1950, Serial No. 198,274

8 Claims. (Cl. 112136) This invention relates to sewing machine stripguiding devices and has particular reference to devices of this character which adapt the sewing machine for such operations as the application of covering cross-strips or bands incident to the connection of bibs tothe trousers of overalls.

'In stitching the covering cross-strip to the inner face of the overalls, it is desirable that the cross-strip be of such length thatits opposite ends are short of the marginal side edges of the garment, so that in the edge hemming operations to follow, the cross-strip will not be included in the hem, but its ends will be covered and concealed by the inner fold edge of the hem.

Heretofore, one of two methods was commonly used in obtaining the above described shortened cross-strip. One of these methods included the steps of sewing the cross-strip to a plurality of garments in a continuous fashion, and in a subsequent operation ripping the seams back from the marginal edges of each garment to prepare the cross-strip so that it could be c ut by hand. The ripping of the seam is an expensive operation since it had to be done on both sides of each garment, and the short length of crossstrip connecting successive garments had to be thrown away. Another method employed in.-

volved the use of a soecalled strip-collapsing,

attachment on the sewing machine which was designed so that at the proper time in the stitching cycle, the marginal edges of the cross-strip couldbecollapsed out of the range of the needles, and thus not stitched to the garment'. While this latter method eliminated the yneed for the seam ripping operation, it did not v'eliminate-the waste of the cross-strip and it krequired the use of a rather complicated strip-collapsing attachment. a

Itis .the primary object of the present invention to'provide a simple strip-guide equipped with a manually Vactuated strip-severing means operable at the will of the operator 4to severthe cross-stripr at the desired point immediately vin advance of thepointwhere it is stitched tothe garment. I

A further object is to provide, in aguiding device adapted to assist informing a seam including a reinforcing-strip, a practical and edicient means whereby the strip may be severed and reintroduced during the formation ofthe f ating mechanism therefor, which is constructed and arranged to permit ready attachment and removal from a sewing machine.

With the above and other objects in, view as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a sewing machine having my attachment applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View, partly in section, of my attachment;

Fig. 3 is a sectional ViewA taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of .a portion of the sewing machine with my attachment applied thereto, a part of the sewing machine bed being broken away better to illustrate the details'of the attachment; y

Fig. 5 is a top plan view principally of the stripguiding and strip-reintroducing portions of my attachment with the supports therefor and the knife holder taken in horizontal section.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substantially along line y6--6 of Fig. 3, illustrating particularly the disposition of the cutting blade; and

Fig. 7 lrepresents a bottom plan view of a portion of the work produced with the aid of my attachment.

In the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a sewing machine of the type disclosed in the U. S. patent of Zeier No. 2,312,858, March 2,7-1943, which comprises, generally, a bed I0 from which rises a standard Ii supporting an overhanging arm l2. Journaled for reciprocation in the overhanding arm is a needle-bar lltY and 'secured thereto are needles l5--I5. Also foot lli.` Secured to the bed I0 are a plurality of work-supporting platesr Il, I8, of which plate Il is apertured to accommodate a throat-plate I9 anda slide-plate 25. Located within the bed Il! areloopers 2 I' which are complemental to the needles l 5-I 5 and operated by suitable actuating mechanism. A feed-dog 22, as shown in Figs. 3 Vand Vhis disposed to operate through slots k 213 in the throat-plate IS to advance the work past the stitch-forming instrumentalities in the usual manner.

Thework-plate Il,v at the sides of the aperture formed therein to accommodate the slide-plate 2t, is formed with lips 2li-M. Spring clips 25-25 are attached beneath the slide-plate, one at either side thereof, to extend beneath and yieldingly engage the lips 2li-2d, thereby to secure the slide-plate to the work-plate il. In order that the slide-plate maybe locked in position, a latchspring 25 is secured to work-plate 'l' at 2 Vand is formed at its free end with a detent 28, Fig. 3, which enters a slot 29 in the slide-plate. 5A latch release pin 39 extends upwardly :trein the latch-spring through an aperture 3l .ffiormed Lin the work-plate il. When the pin SG is depressed, the detent 2S is also lowered out -of venga-gement with the slot 29 and the slideeplate may be withdrawn.

In carrying out my invention, as will be described in detail below, I prefer to `secure to the slide-plate 2G as a unitary assembly, .a guiding and folding device for .both body fabrics to be united, a guide for the reinforcing strip, a device lfor vat will severing the strip, and a mechanism for controlling 'the strip after'it 'has been severed. Then to the bed of the :sewing machine I secure the actuating mechanism for the strip Acutting device, 4and provide between 'the actuating `mechanism andthe cutter` a means for conveniently separati-ng for reuniting the two in order that the slide-plate and the parts secured thereto may be readily removed and replaced.

The lmeans for directing a reinforcing strip from beneath the slide-plate to the stitchingpoint comprises a tubular sheet-metal guide, indicated :generally as 32. The guide extends upwardly through an opening 3H in the slide-plateand is formed with scrolls 33-33 for inturnlng the marginaledgesof the reinforcing-istrip. Support members 35-35 extend laterally from the guide v32 andeach is 'formed .to receive 4a fastening screw 36-36 by which the guide is Vsecured to .a `Y-shaped bracket 3l', Fig. 1. .Spaced upstanding limbs 38-38 .of .the bracket 3A-'1, yB, are arranged to abut correspondingly .spaced .downturned ears BEI-39 which depend from the Vslideplate 2G so that by means of fastening screws -4 -4ii, the bracket 3.1 is rigidly securedin place.

An edge-guide Ei and `an edge-folding guide 42 are secured above-the slide-plate 2: andk arranged to direct the marginal edges of two panels oi garment fabric in proper lapped and folded `relation above the delivery end of .the stripeguide .32 so that a seam .of the type illustrated in'Fig. 7 may be formed. T o this end, edgeguide lill of which the forward extremity is Arecessed ras at t3 to accommodate the strip-guide 32, .is formed Awith abase portion-i which is vslotted as ,at 4 5-65 to receive fastening screws llt-46 which are threaded into the slide-plate 2U. By means of thek slots i-45, the edge-guide 4l may be adjusted toward or away from the needles. The edge-folding guide d2 is disposedY to `overlie the edge-guide di, and is provided with a shank portion 47 slotted as at llt-i3 to receive fastening screws vl-19 which are threaded linto .the base portion 4.4i of `edge-guide 4i. The folding-guide 42, therefore, will partake `oi any adjustment of W the guide 4I toward or away from the needles, and by means -of slots 48-48 a limited Alateral adjustment of guide 42 is possible independently .of the guide 4I. i

The mechanism of the present invention for severing the reinforcing strip comprises a single knife blade AEil Ahaving ,a cutting `edge 5|. The

`blade is secured by means of .a clamping-.screw 52 within a recess 55 formed in an inclined face 54 of a knife carrying,slide-block-'BB .so that the blade 50 is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the strip-guide 32. As shown clearly in Fig. 6, the recess 55 is inclined with respect to a line perpendicular to the strip-guide so that the blade 50 is supported with the cutting edge 5| similarly inclined.

The knife :carrying islidefblock :53 isfconi'lned to movement transversely of the strip-guide by means of two parallel guide-bars 56-56 which yare secured beneath the slide-plate 2U by means ofrfasteningscrews 51-51. The guide-bars are tifcrmedavith grooves 58-58 which receive tongues 59-59 extending from the knife carrier 53.

To Iaccc'iminodate the blade 50, the strip-guide 'isgseparated intermediate its ends into two parts which arespaced to form a narrow transverse slot 60. One part of the separated guide extends between the l'slot i60 rand the stitching point and will .be hereinafter referred to as the delivery portion of the guide, while the second part of the guide which extends between the slot and the 1strip-receiv'ing end fof vthe guide will be termed the receiving portion. The two parts vof the lguide are bridgediexternally by a 'U -sh'ape'dmember 161 ,which insaddition to maintaining the guide zpartsin spaced relation, provides a channel which is Ventered by the lower free extremity .of 'the blad-e 50 to ystabilize 'the f-ree extremity `of .the blade. `-The member 6| supports the delivery porltion of the strip-guide from the receiving portion :and 4also `extends 'laterally'fon each side of the strip-guide so as to providea continuous :support for -the lower extremity .of the cutting blade.

Theadvantages attained by virtue of the instant `combination of a strip-guide which Vis separated 'between its ends, together with the use of an inclined-edge lknife disposed lto pass between the guide portions, are manifold; the employment fof an inclined knife edge results `in a smoother cutting action, and since the separated strip-guide supports the strip at each side ci the path -of the blade, the Ytendency for the `blade to shift or `distort the fold-edges of the strip during severance is minimized, thus producing amore levenly severed edge. Furthermore, with the instant arrangement, should the strip be shifted laterally during severance, the delivery portion Iof the guide, which acts upon the strip from the `point at which it is severed to the stitching point, will cause the strip to be realigned in the rguide before 4it lemerges and is incorporated into `t-he seam.

Carried by the bed of the machine is an actuating 4linkage by which the blade 5d may be at will advanced and retracted transversely across the strip-guide. The linkage is supported by a plate 62 which is secured to the bed of the machine by means o-ffastening screws 63 and 56, A lever S5 of the rst class is pivoted to turn about the screw 63 and isprovided at its lower extremity with a suitable connection to a knee-shifter or foot treadle, such as by rod 56. At the upper extremity oiflever 55, there Vis pivoted a roller 67 which engages a vertical 'slot' 68 in a movable slide-bar 6B which is sh'iitable laterally in response to movements of lever t5.y The bar 69 enters a horizontal guiding Arecess l formed in the plate 62 and is provided witha horizontal clearance slot 'ID fora ,screw 'l2 which retains the bar 59 for horizontal sliding movementswithin recess l.

In order that the slide-plate 2B andthe cutting blade carried thereby may be readily removed from and replaced von the sewing machine, a separable connection is provided between the actuatinglinkage and the cutting blade. To this end, the bar 69 is formed with a projecting ear 13 in which a notch 14 is provided. A connecting member 15, which is secured at one extremity beneath the slide-block 53, is formed at its free extremity with a depending lug 16 which is adapted to enter the notch 14 to provide a readily separable yet positive driving connection between the actuating mechanism and the cutter.

r To prevent inadvertent movement of the blade 50,'a spring 11 is secured to the connecting member 15. A detent 18 is formed at the free extremity of the spring which is positioned such that when the blade occupies the retracted position, as shown in full lines of Fig. 6, the detent 13 engages the end of the guide bar 55. The spring 11 is of sucient stiffness to prevent accidental movement of the cutting blade, as from vibration of the sewing machine, etc.; but nevertheless is suiciently flexible so as to offer negligible resistance to movement of the blade when properly urged by the actuating linkage.

After the reinforcing strip is severed, the part of the strip which remains in the receiving portion of the strip-guide will cease tov be advanced by thesewing machine feed-mechanism. In order toprevent this part of the strip from dropping out of the receiving portion ofthe guide 32 and to provide a means for reintroducing the strip to the stitching point at thewill of the operator, the upper surface of the tubular strip-guide 32 is formed with an elongated opening 19 through which extends a spring-finger 80 which is formed with serrations 8l at its forward extremity. The spring-finger 80 is secured at its rearward extremity to a block 82 which is in turn pivotally connected to one end of a lever 33 by means of a screw 84 and a slot 85 formed in lever 83. The lever is pivoted to the bracket 31 by means of a stud 86 about which is disposed a coil spring 81 one end of which engages a lug 88 ofthe bracket 31, while the other end of the coil spring is fastened to the lever 83 to bias the lever into its retracted position. The block 82 is conned within a' guide slot 89 formed in bracket 31 parallel to the opening 19 in the strip-guide, so that when a turning movement is imparted to the lever 83, as by means of ahandle 90 secured at the free extremity thereof, the block 82 and the spring-'finger 80 will move parallel to the stripguide as may be clearly discerned in Fig. 5. The maximum distance which the spring nger may move corresponds to the distance between the transverse path of the cutting blade and the stitching point of the sewing mach-ine so that by turning the lever 83, a severed strip may be reintroduced to the stitching point.v It will be understood that the spring-finger isvbased downwardly against the lowersurface of the stripguide. A linger-grip 9| is provided for manually lifting the springnger sol as-.to facilitate loading of the strip. f

The above described preferred .embodiment may beapplied to a sewing machine simply by replacing the usual slide-plate with a slide-plate having the present invention attached. In assembly, it is necessaryonly to insure that the lug 15 of vthe cutting-blade connecting-'member is positioned to enter the notch 14 of the movable actuating bar 69.

In order to produce a reinforced seam of which the reinforcing-strip terminates at each side short of the side edge of the garment, as illustrated in Fig. 7, thefoperator Afirst directs'the marginal edges of two garment panels A&B to the stitching point through A'guides 4| and` 42. Sewing is then begun and continued for a distance necessary for the completion of a side hem in a later operation. At this point, the operator turns lever 83 by means of handle 90 thereby sliding the spring-finger 8B forward, the serrated extremity of which grips the reinforcing strip S and advances the strip to the stitching point. Once introduced, the strip is joined by stitches to the garment panels and is thereafter advanced by means of the usual sewing machine feed mechanism. Sewing is continued until a point has been reached at which the strip must be severed in order that it will terminate at the desired distance from the side edge of the garment. At this point, the operator actuates the strip cutting mechanism as by a knee-shifter or foot-treadle to move the blade 5l! across the slot 60 in the strip-guide 32, thus severing the reinforcing strip. Usually knee-Shifters or foot-treadles are spring biased into retracted position, and therefore no such spring has been incorporated in the preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that any such suitable means for retracting the blade 50 may be employed. The portion of the severed strip which leads to the supply is retained within the guide 32 against retrograde movement by the serrated spring-linger 8D in readiness for the succeeding reintroduction to the seam. Sewing of the original garment seam is continued past the severed edge of the reinforcing strip and to the edge of the garment panels thus completing one cycle of operation.

The sewing machine operator must judge the proper point during the sewing operation for the introduction and severing of the reinforcing strip, and the necessary skill is quickly developed whereby the formation of reinforced seams withv thev invention becomes substantially a continuous operation.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what we claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine having a work-support provided with an opening, an attachment for vdirecting the edges of a plurality of body fabrics and a reinforcing-strip to the lstitching point so as toproduce a reinforced seam, said attachment comprising a slide-plate adapted to be positioned in said opening, work-guides carried at one side of said slide-plate in` position to direct the edges of said body-fabrics to the stitching point in predetermined relative relation, a strip-guide secured to said slide-plate at the side opposite said work-guides, a movable strip-cutter supported by said slide-plate and adapted to sever said reinforcing-strip intermediate the ends, of said strip-guide, actuating mechanism carried by said sewing'machine work-support for imparting movement to said strip-cutter, and a separable positive driving connection between said stripcutterands'aid cutter actuating mechanism for facilitating removal and replacement of said attachment.

v2. In a sewing machine having a work-support provided with an opening, an attachment comprising a supporting plate adapted to be slidably positioned in said opening, lwork-guiding instrumentalities including a strip-guide-for directing a plurality of plies of body fabric and a reinforcing strip to the stitching point of the sewing machine to produce a reinforced seam, a strip-cutter slidably secured to said supporting plateY for translatory movement in a path trans- `versely of said strip-guide, cutter actuating mechassistere-21 7 ment inra direction substantiallyz'parallel tto i the path of;movement1of sadstrip-cuttenand separablefcoupling means between said strip cutter .and said .actuating vmeinbeitand arrangedxtol pro- 'videfapositve"driving connection between vsaid strip putter and :said actuating member when said supporting plate is normally `positions/d z in said :sewing machine Work-support iopening.

f3. VA strip-guiding and severing device cornprisingza vplurality of f Work; guides, a strip-guide associated Witlrsaidwork guides, said strip-'guide having. surfacesarrange'd to maintain :asubstantial portion of said-strip infa `single plane nduring the passage ,of the -st-rip Lthrough the guide, a knife-carrier supported for` movement :crosswise oi saidrstrip-guide in a'path substantial-wiperallebtothe plane oflsaid strip, a strip-cutting knife lblade having a ycutting edge yinclined to theiplaneof thestripin theplane of movement of thefknife-carrier; a knife; locating seat formed on said knife-carrier, andaqclamp mem-benessocated Withfsaid lmife-carrier-for securing4 said `lrriifefagainst said locating seat.

`4. An attaehmentvadapted `for-a sewing rmachinehaving a Work-'support'provided with-an openingccmprising a slide-plate adapted tofbe positioned in said opening, work-guides secured above said slide-,plate in Apositionto direct =the edgesof a plurality of plies of body fabric into predetermined relative relation, a iat tubular strip-guide secured beneath saidslide-plate so as tovdirect a reinforcing strip'intolapped reiation `with the edges'of said-body-fabr-ics, said strip-guide separated transversely into-a-stripreceiving part and -a'stripdelivery part, a connecting member arranged externally ofsaid-zstripguide and maintaining the two V.parts thereof lin alinedspaced relation, a knife-carriersupported beneath said slide-plate for sliding vmovement transversely .of said i strip-guide, a knife-blade supported at one extremitylby,saidnknifesoarrier and .having a 4free .extremity adapted ,to `move between the kproximate ends of said separated strip-receivingandstrip delivery parts to sever said 4reinforcing strip, a knife-blade `actuating linkage including a slide-bar carried by Fsaid Work-supportfor movement Ain av direction parallel to said knife-carrier, projections' extending from said slide-bar `and i from -saidknife carrier,

said projectionsdisposed to interlockivhcn said y.

guide, and a spring finger extending from said slide-block toward the sewing machine, said spring fingerhaving a free extremity adapted to enter said strip-receiving part of the strip-guide and hear against said reinforcing strip.

,5. A Work-presenting attachment for a sewing machine having amachine-frame, comprising, a supporting member adapted to be detachably lsustained by said machine-frame, Workguides secured to said supporting member in positionlto direct-the marginal edges of a pluv rality ofrbody fabrics into predetermined relative relationalu ,strip-guidefsecured to said `support- `ing rmember .so e as Ito ndirect a reinforcing strip into lapped relation with-the marginal iedges of :said body fabrics, said strip-guide beingftransversely divided intermedi-ate'itsends into-tandem arranged strip-receiving .andstrip-delivery sections, Ya yknife-carrier slidably .mounted -cn said supporting Ymember .for movement transversely ofA said strip-guide,'afknife-blade Asecured to :said L,carrier and ydisposed '-move between the .proximate ends of said :separated strip-receiving and: strip-deliverysectionsfof -sad stripguide to 1 sever said ifabric strip, knifeeactuating mechanism attach-edV to .said machine-frame,=and separable coupling. means disposed'between said lknife-carrier and 'said knfe-actuatingmech- -anism A:and arranged to readily :part :when said supporting ymember is detached fromy said machine-frame enabling fthe l,supportir-ig :member and its guides Ito be removedassazunit.

-6. network-presenting attachment' for .arsewing machinehaving almachine-frame, comprising, a supporting :member :adapted to tbe detachably sustained by `said machine-frame,Work-guides securedz-to saidl supporting' member position :to direct themarginaledges:ofaa plurality yof :body fabrics into predetermined relative-relation, .a strip-guide secured into said supporting Imem-- boissons tol-:directa:reinforcingxstrip intolapped relation vwith the "marginal edges zof .said :body fabrics, said strip-guide I.being 'transversely ,divided intermediate, itsgends into tandemrarranged strip-receiving and :strip-delivery sections, a strip-severing devicerattached to. said `supporting member land disposed to @operate between the proximate ends of said Vseparated vstrip.-receiving and strip-deliveryV-sections of lsaidistrip-guidegto sever said Vfabric-stri-p,. strip-,severing device factuatin-g mechanism attached to :said machineframe, and-separable coupling 'means fdisposeid `between.. said strip-severing device .and saidinifeactuating mechanism and arranged to readily partwhen said .suprzvorting 4member is detached from. said machine-frame Ienabling the supporting-member vand its guides to be removed asi-a unit.

f7. -A reinforced :seam forming attachmentffor sewing machines comprising asupporting-member, work guides carried bysaid supportingmember. in position to direct the edgesr of fa'gplurality of :plies of body fabric-'to the stitching point of the sewing machine yin predetermined relative relation, la .strip-guide carried by said supporting memberin spaced relation thereto'smas'to directa reinforcing strip into ,lappedsrelation with .the edges of .said body fabrics, a `knife carrier, .parallel iknife Acarrier guide-Ways disposed between ysaid strip-guide and said supporting member and Y extending transversely beyondreach side `of said strip guide, and a strip cuttingknife-'bladefrigidly secured to'said knifecarrier and adapted to sever said reinforcing strip ata point betweenv the ends of said strip guide.

l8. A reinforced seamforming attachment-for sewing machines comprising a supporting member, Work guidescarried by .saidupportingmember imposition .to ,direct the edgesof a plurality of pliesof bodyfabrictothe.stitching pointpf the sewing machine in predeterminedfrelation, two 1 tubular strip-guiding members L arranged to operate in seriatim tofdirecty a rreinforeingrlstrip into'lapped relation with the edgesl ofrsaidhody fabrics, a connecting member :arranged at one side .of said .stripfguides :maintaining said guides in spaced frelation :the direction :of

movement of the strip through the guides, a knifecarrier slidably supported for translatory movement in a path across the strip guiding members at the side of said strip-guides opposite said connecting member, a knife stabilizing channel formed in said guide connecting member parallel to the path of movement of said knife carrier, and a strip cutting bla-de supported at one extremity by said knife carrier and at the opposite extremity by said stabilizing channel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Jennings Oct. 14, 1913 Gray July 31, 1923 Ernst Feb. 9, 1937 Weis May 3, 1938 Podgorny Mar. 9, 1943 Poole July 25, 1944 Valentine July 25, 1944 

